Yawkey (Tom) is born in Detroit.

Orphaned as a young boy, Yawkey is raised by an uncle, who owns the Detroit Tigers, and from whom he inherits a fortune from the family’s lumber business. He buys the Boston Red Sox from J.A. “Bob” Quinn in 1933 on his 30th birthday, and immediately begins to renovate Fenway Park. Yawkey marries Jean Hollander in 1944, and maintains homes in Boston, New York, and South Carolina. He becomes known for being too close to players and too patient with their performance and for being the last owner in major league baseball to sign an African-American player. A supporter of charities in Boston and South Carolina, Yawkey remains owner of the Red Sox for 44 years, the longest tenure of any owner in baseball history. He dies on July 9, 1976.